Category Archives: Cool

Thus spoke the rider of my late night microbus, throwing his head forward over a swine neck. I was sitting at the very end of the vehicle, over the back wheels Cairenes usually try to avoid, the maverick drivers usually taking wild bursts with their imaginary Lamborghini, either out of action-movie enthusiasm or due to the effect of pain-killers, swinging the vehicle and jolting the asses of the poor passengers who had the ill fate to sit there. But I just loathe the idea of collecting and delivering the fare every now and then – the sacred duty of any passenger who rides anywhere but the very back seat.

Andrew Clarkson makes marijuana chocolates. And that’s not the most unusual thing about him.

Andrew used to be my roommate in Oakland, California. He was, without a doubt, the most eccentric roommate I’ve ever had. Besides his chocolate business, Rawsome, he has some very interesting ideas about society. I first encountered them shortly after moving into the apartment when Andrew asked me “What do you think about the shape of the world?” I said, well, I think it’s kinda fucked up, not doing so well right now. And Andrew said, “No, I mean, what do you think about the shape of the world?”

Andrew’s question raises an interesting inquiry: in an age of fake news going viral, when even the most established pillars of the media world can’t be trusted, how do we know what we know? How do we separate fact from fiction in cases where we can’t actually observe the truth for ourselves? Why shouldn’t we believe in Pizzagate when it seems very likely that our nation’s establishment media are lying to us about the Russians on behalf of Hillary Clinton?

There has literally never been a better time to relentlessly insult whoever you please to as wide an audience as you please; it’s a veritable golden age, with one catch, they can probably hear you.

You know there was a time when a man could say whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted.

All he had to worry about then was who, if anyone (it was more than likely someone) would henceforth attempt to punish him for it. It’s possible someone would challenge him to a duel. Maybe a mob would casually set fire to him. Or perhaps the local constabulary would kidnap him, torture him to death, and sell his family into slavery. You know, the little things. Minor hiccups in an otherwise glorious age of freedom.

The four-wheel drive stopped in the compound. Through the tinted windows I could see a fearsome dog straining at its chain and baying at the vehicle. Its fur was the same muddy yellow color as the sandy soil beneath its feat and the packed earth walls of the farmhouse buildings. A rickety wooden door in one of the walls opened slowly, as if commanded by a magic cipher, and a woman stepped out. She was the same shape and color as a boiled potato, and she motioned for us to come inside. We filed into the central hall and were served lunch.

Could returned servicemen with war-ravaged hearts and minds soon be given MDMA to smooth their way back into society? Is using MDMA for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) a legitimately good idea, and is it ever going to be common practice? ImportantCool spoke to Dr Stephen Bright of Curtin University to learn more about this Huxley-esque development.

Season 6 sees Game of Thrones move well and truly beyond the narrative set down in George R.R. Martin’s books. There is one exception: the arrival of Euron Greyjoy, who first appeared in “A Feast for Crows”. Having had to deal with Martin’s quagmires for a great portion of season 5, there was a lot of curiosity about how showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss would progress the story beyond A Dance with Dragons.

After seven episodes, they appear to have nailed it. Season 6 is one of the strongest seasons yet. It certainly leaves season 5 in the shade, with its quagmires and silly story lines involving Stannis Baratheon and the Sand Snakes.

Nicola Cruz’s debut album Prender El Alma was released last month on ZZK Records. The Buenos Aires-based label is the perfect fit for Cruz, as since 2008 they have made the combination of digital beats and folk samples their signature sound. ZZK has been dubbed “a laboratory of dance”, and you don’t have to spend long on their Soundcloud to see why. Bolivian Quechua vocals float over UK bass- influenced remixes and Argentine ballads break bread with digital cumbia. It’s a fresh take on electronic dance music, where sadly these days sophisticated tracks are often let down by melodies you could play on the keyboard with one finger.

This year the ImportantCool team has studied the disappointing shark-jumping of House of Cards season three, as well as the artistry of Mad Men’s triumphant final season. We now turn to 2015’s unlikely success story, Mr. Robot.

Mr. Robot has been described as the USA Network’s Breaking Bad, which is apt for a couple of reasons.